Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, has said leadership by example is central to confronting Nigeria’s security challenges.
The former Anambra State governor stated this while answering questions from a cross-section of Nigerians during an interactive X Space session on Sunday.
According to Obi, insecurity in the country has continued to deteriorate and requires leaders who demonstrate discipline, responsibility, and accountability.
Responding to questions on how he would tackle security challenges, Obi shared a personal experience to explain his leadership approach.
He recalled travelling on British Airways while serving as a governor when he encountered an aircraft toilet that was badly messed up.
According to Obi, a woman who worked with the Lagos State Government under former governor Babatunde Fashola opened the toilet, saw its condition, and walked away. He said he later went into the toilet and cleaned it himself without informing anyone.
Obi added that the woman returned, noticed the toilet had been cleaned, and later told a minister and colleagues that she was shocked to learn it was done by a sitting governor.
“When you see things that are wrong, clean them,” Obi said, adding that he does not keep house help and believes Nigerians should stop living a fake life.
Obi noted that he is better prepared to tackle Nigeria’s economic and security challenges if given the opportunity to lead the country.